I may have to start a new category for all of the apps that are coming out in the golf world. Okay that is now done. New HOG APP CATEGORY created!

Yesterday Nike Golf announced a new app for golfers, the NG360 app:

Nike Golf NG360 – click for more images of the app

“The NG360 App is an easy-to-use tool that will allow golfers to track their rounds to see how they stack up; improve their swing techniques with the help of coaches; and view and implement athletic training workouts that are golf-specific.” ~from Nike Golf press release

Key components of the app’s first version are My Game, My Swing, My Body and My Gear.

“The new NG360 App is one piece of a bigger initiative that is a holistic approach to improving golfers’ performance through physical evaluation and training, custom fitting of equipment and digital tracking applications.” ~from Nike Golf press release

NG360 Video below. Not too hip on the “get the props you deserve” line, but the rest is fine.

Did you know that four out of five golfing dentists prefer toothpaste and a tee to check their club face alignment?

Tee stuck to club face gives better visual of launch angles and direction!

Take a small dab of toothpaste and put it on the head of a golf tee. Longer tees are better as they give a better visual. The Golf Space tees (pictured) are even better. Mount the tee in the center of one of your clubs as shown in the picture above. The tee will show the direction and angle that the club face is pointing. You can do as I’ve done in the pic above, and use an arrow or straight line under the club as an alignment guide. Obviously in this image, the club is closed and pointing left of target.

Not only can you check club face alignment, you can also manipulate the head around to see launch angles for situations like flop shots or times when you need to carry an obstacle like the lip of a bunker. Take a toothpaste tee sand wedge into a practice bunker and check out the angles the tee is pointing as you open or close the blade. The tee will give you a better visual of the launch angle and give you confidence that you can get the ball over the lip.

Dream54 keeps putter square and stroke on straight line - click for more images

For those of you who want to keep your blade square, and also keep your putter on a perfect straight line during the putting stroke, here’s an aid which may help.

Dream54 Putting Aid

Industrial Putting Technology is the maker of the Dream54 putting aid. This aid features two bars which attach to two different stand options. The first option sits on top of the ground or your floor in your house. The 2nd stand option is a set of spikes which you can put into the putting green to mount the unit for practice on a real surface.

A guide unit mounts onto any putter with the main wing sliding between the rails. Once setup, about a minute or two, you can work on the “straight back and straight thought” stroke and also keeping the putter face square.

Back in 2005 or so I wrote a little program to track my golf stats in PHP. It has morphed over the years and is now quite robust. I’ve implemented that program into the profile system at my other site The Golf Space. TGS’s FREE Golf Stats system allows me to track all of my game like driving stats, putting stats, bets won, etc. It crunches stats for the latest round as well as compiles stats and handicap for multiple rounds.

Anatomy of a 78

Yesterday I played a great course here called Hidden Valley. I putted fairly well and drove it well. I really worked hard to score a 78, a mediocre round for me. So why didn’t I do better? There are two blaring stats in the round, which show me what I need to work on.

Ball Striking

Putting

Scoring:

Fairways Hit:

9/14

Total Putts:

31

Scoring Differential:

5.4

Fairway Percentage:

64%

Putts Per Hole:

1.72

Pars:

8 (44%)

Driving Distance:

273.75

Putts Per GIR:

1.75

Birdies:

2 (11%)

Greens In Regulation

8

Zero Putts:

0 (0%)

Eagles:

0 (0%)

Regulation Percentage

44%

One Putts:

5 (28%)

Bogeys:

8 (44%)

Two Putts:

13 (72%)

Double Bogeys:

0 (0%)

Three Putts:

0 (0%)

Others:

0 (0%)

Four Putts:

0 (0%)

Saves

2/10 (20%)

Hidden Valley Country Club – Lakes Valley Course – April 1, 2011

The good news is that like I mentioned, my putting and driving is decent. The really bad news, and I knew this already, is that my greens in regulation is poor and my short game is awful.

I missed 10 greens and of those 10 times I saved par twice for 20%. If I convert that 20% to 60% I shoot 74. If I convert it to 100% (not really likely on a daily basis), I shoot 70. I give away shots when I miss greens.

Knowing what to work on

Punching in my scores to a system like this is very useful, because it shows me what I need to work on. My work needs to be hitting more greens and especially short game. I need to get up and down more.

Wow this is my 2nd golf book review in one day. I’m on fire. Granted, this book is less than 10 pages long but who is counting?

I don’t plum bob on the putting green. Never have. But I have buddies who do. I’ve always worried that I’m not hanging the putter shaft perfectly vertical and that I’ll get a worse read as a result. Now that I know more about it, I may give it a try.

For those who do plum bob and want to improve, or those who want to learn how to plum bob on the greens, here’s a book for you. Plum Bob Correctly is a tiny reference book by Jack Geers. This short and easy to read book is small enough to fit in your pocket or your golf bag and goes through the how and why of plum bobbing putts.

If you don’t plumb bob and you miss read putts often, give this a shot. You might make more putts and lower your scores.